Rob WazWaz Wins MSPT Wisconsin State

Rob WazWaz added another milestone to his Mid-States Poker Tour resume by winning the MSPT Wisconsin Poker State Championship at the Potawatomi Hotel & Casino. The victory delivered a $253,521 first-place prize and marked his second career MSPT title, coming roughly eight years after his first.

A Record-Breaking Field

The Main Event carried a $1,110 buy-in and a $1,000,000 guarantee. It drew 1,568 entries, pushing the total prize pool to $1,519,460. The top 173 finishers were paid, and all of them returned for the final day already assured of a cash.

Among the notable players who fell before the final table were Josh Reichard, who exited in 45th place, and Rich Alsup, who finished 26th.

Final Table and Heads-Up Play

WazWaz reached the nine-handed final table and went on to record multiple eliminations. He entered heads-up play against Mark Cahill holding close to a 3:1 chip lead.

The decisive hand saw WazWaz commit his stack with A 6 against K 6. The board ran out J 9 7 8 2, locking up the title for WazWaz.

A Seven-Figure Milestone

The result pushed WazWaz's total MSPT earnings past $1,000,000, making him only the fifth player in the tour's history to reach that mark. He also extended his own record with his 22nd final table appearance in an MSPT Main Event.

Along with the prize money, WazWaz earned a seat into the MSPT Championship Rock 'N' Roll Poker Open, valued at $3,500.

The win capped a strong week for WazWaz. Days earlier, he finished second in the $400 Mini Main Event, which drew 883 entrants, for $42,000.

Final Table Results

• 1st: Rob WazWaz (USA) — $253,521
• 2nd: Mark Cahill (USA) — $154,077
• 3rd: Mike Wilklow (USA) — $118,057
• 4th: William Stringer (USA) — $90,662
• 5th: Vincent Kuriakose (USA) — $68,110
• 6th: Alex Doroshko (USA) — $51,461
• 7th: Ken Baime (USA) — $40,866
• 8th: John Almanzar (USA) — $31,785
• 9th: Travis Young (USA) — $25,730

What the Result Means

The MSPT has long served as one of the most consistent mid-stakes tournament series in the United States, and the Wisconsin stop reflects that reputation. A $1,110 buy-in with a seven-figure guarantee tends to attract a mix of regional regulars, traveling pros, and local qualifiers, which is why fields of this size are common at major MSPT events.

For WazWaz, the week demonstrated how quickly a single series can reshape a tournament resume. A runner-up finish in a lower buy-in event and an outright win in the flagship Main Event produced a combined result that few players manage in a single series. Reaching the $1 million mark in MSPT earnings also places him in a small group of players who have sustained results on the tour over many years, rather than relying on a single deep run.

The heads-up hand itself is a useful illustration of short-handed dynamics. With a large chip lead, the bigger stack can apply pressure by moving all-in with a wide range, and the shorter stack is often forced to call with hands that are ahead or flipping at best. In this case, the A 6 versus K 6 matchup gave WazWaz the better starting hand, and the board provided no help to Cahill.

WazWaz's 22nd MSPT Main Event final table is a mark of consistency. Final tables at this level require surviving large fields, navigating pay jumps, and winning key all-ins, and doing so repeatedly over a period of years is generally considered a strong indicator of a player's skill and endurance in tournament poker.